Blind Luck
by StoryGal85
Summary: A freak accident leaves one of Hogan's men blind...permanently?


"Gin!" A jubilant Newkirk announced as he laid down his cards. Sergeant Kinchloe shook his head in amazement.

"This is the fifth time in a row you have won. I think I'll quit while I'm still behind." Kinch grumbled as he stood up from the table. Corporal Newkirk

smiled as he began shuffling the deck.

"Anyone for a game of poker?" Newkirk asked the other men in the barracks. A chorus of groans and murmurings was their answer. Corporal Peter Newkirk could bluff Hitler out of his Moustache. The door opening cut off the men's protests. Colonel Hogan waltzed through with a look of pure mischief on his face.

"What's up, Colonel?" Newkirk asked, a smile of his own forming. Whatever their leader was up to, it was bound to spell trouble for the Germans.

"Yes what is it Colonel?" Corporal Le Beau asked with excitement.

"Oh nothing," Hogan began but his grin made his words useless. "I just found a way for us to blow up that bridge London asked us too."

"Blimey, Colonel. You found a way past Klink's nightly bed checks?" Newkirk asked.

"Yup. Old "Blood and Guts" is going to town tonight to visit a young frauline at the Hoffbrau," Hogan explained.

"Then we have a clear shot at it" Kinch stated.

Hogan nodded his head and motioned for the men to gather around as he outlined his plan.

* * * * * *

"Carter!" Hogan whispered as loud as he dared to the young demolitions expert.

"Yeah boy! Uh.. I mean, Colonel." Carter said as he climbed out of the supports underneath the bridge. In his hands was a wire leading to the bundle of dynamite strapped to the bridge struts.

"Are you ready yet?" Hogan asked somewhat impatiently, he and

all his men that if caught they would be shot and their whole

operation lost, putting many escaped prisoners into the Germans

hands once more. Timing was critical. One slip-up and it would

spell the end for them all.

"All set here, Colonel." Carter said jumping to the ground beside Hogan. "Newkirk is just finishing with the last timer and…" Andrew never got to finish his sentence. A huge explosion knocked him and Colonel Hogan backwards. Bits of wood rained down on them as they climbed back to their feet and looked where the bridge had been 2 seconds ago.

Le Beau came up behind the two, brushing dirt from his uniform and cursing Carter for being clumsy, Kinch soon followed.

"I'm sorry," Carter apologized "I don't have perfect equipment to work with. Sometimes things don't work like they are supposed to."

"It's ok Carter," Colonel Hogan said, cutting off Le Beau's protests. "We all know you do your best. Now lets go home." He said starting to head off, then a thought struck him. "Where was Newkirk?"

"Carter," Hogan said turning to face the young man. "Where did you say Newkirk was?"

"Down on the other end of the bridge setting the last of the explosives…." Carter finished slowly as a worried look crossed Colonel Hogan's face. As if rehearsed Hogan, Carter, Kinch,

Le Beau all rushed down to Newkirk's last known position. The sight that greeted them was a huge pile of rubble. "Start digging!!!!" Hogan yelled, frantically pulling rocks off the pile.

"Colonel!" Le Beau shouted. "Come here… I found him." He finished quietly. Hogan and the others ran over to where he was frantically digging. Stretching out underneath the rubble was Newkirk's hand. The rest of him was still buried. Once the immediate shock of how serious this situation was wore off, the other members of Hogan's team began to dig as well. Gently uncovering the unfortunate Englishman.

"Sir," Kinch said excitedly, "He's still alive!"

"What?" Hogan asked, shocked. Kinch gently pulled Newkirk's limp form out from under the rest of the debris and checked his pulse again. There it was, faint and sketchy, but it was there.

Hogan dropped to his knees beside the unconscious Englander and Kinch. "Can we move him?"

Kinch pursed his lips, "If the circumstances were different I would say no. But if we don't get back quick many more lives would be at stake."

Colonel Hogan nodded and motioned for everyone to pick Newkirk up. Unsure of whether or not serious internal damage was done, Hogan decided to play it careful.

Once back in the barracks, Colonel Hogan's team immediately sent for O'Connell from barracks 3. He was a Navy Corpsman and the closest thing to a doctor in the camp.

After putting Newkirk in Colonel Hogan's quarters, they ushered O'Connell in to see how he was.

3 hours later O'Connell finally came out.

"Well?" Hogan's team asked in unison. O'Connell frowned and looked down at the floor. He looked up again a few seconds later to four anxious, worried faces. He sighed, "Your friend will live. He needs to take it easy for the first few days, but then he should be back to normal except for one thing."

The whoops of joy were cut short as the last of O'Connell's statement was heard.

"What 'one thing'?" Hogan asked suspiciously. O'Connell sighed again, "If only I had better equipment and more experience… Your friend is blind."

"What?!?!?!" came the shocked reply from Hogan's men.

"I'm sorry" O'Connell stated "the blindness was cause by severe impact to the skull. Sometimes another blow of equal force will correct the problem. Sometimes it clears up on its own. We will just have to wait and see."

"Thanks, O'Connell," Hogan said quietly, stunned, as the man started to leave the room. "Wait!" he added. "Does Newkirk know?"

O'Connell shook his head then walked out of the room. Swallowing hard Hogan turned to face the others.

"Well how do we tell him?" he asked. For probably the first time in his life he was at a loss. How do you tell a close friend that he may never see again?

"We should be with him when he wakes up, Colonel." Kinch said gently. " I wouldn't want to be alone…" he let the rest of the sentence hang.

"You're right," Hogan said quietly. "Lets go."

Pale and still, Newkirk looked awful. Great black bruises covered his face and arms. A white bandage wrapped around his head.

" It's all my fault," Carter whispered, his face as white as Newkirk's. Hogan turned to face the young sergeant.

"What do you mean Carter?"

"Well," Carter sniffed and wiped at his eyes. "Maybe if I had checked the dynamite better…"

"Carter its not your fault. We don't blame you. It was an accident." Hogan said putting his arm around the young who was bravely fighting back tears.

"What about Newkirk?" Carter asked. With that question all eyes turned back to the still form.

"I will sit with him first, Mon Colonel," Le Beau offered. "I think Carter needs you right now."

"Alright Le Beau." Hogan said.

Newkirk's first sensation to return was his sense of touch. When he tried to move his arm, a bolt of pain shot through him. Groaning he wished silently that he hadn't.

"Colonel!" Le Beau shouted excitedly. To Newkirk's pounding head it sounded like the French man was yelling directly into his ear.

"Hurry, he is waking up!" Le Beau yelled again.

"Gaw, Louis could you take it down a notch? I've got a splitting headache." Newkirk said quietly without opening his eyes.

"Ce'est Magnific!" Le Beau shouted again. "You are awake!"

Just then Hogan, Kinch, and Carter ran in to the room.

"Well How's are boy?" Hogan asked with a cheerfulness he did not feel.

"I would be much be'er if someone would turn the bloody lights on." Hogan looked down at the floor. The moment he had been dreading had arrived.

"The lights are on, Newkirk." Hogan said gently. He tried to continue but he couldn't. Helplessly he looked to rest of his team.

"That knock to the head messed with your eyes a little." Le Beau

explained, a little too cheerfully. "But you will be fine in a week or two…I hope." He added quietly.

Newkirk sat up with a groan and passed his hand in front of his eyes. He could see nothing.

"I'm sorry!!" Carter burst out. "Its my fault, if only I had been more careful of that dynamite."

"No!" Newkirk said quietly. "It's not your fault, Andrew. When I was shot down near Hammelbourg this same thing happened. The medic told me if it ever happened again it would most likely be permanent. "

The mood in the room darkened a little and silence reigned until it was broken by Colonel Hogan.

"I've been thinking" he said slowly. "Maybe its time for you to escape."

"But sir I…." he started to protest but the thought of putting the team in more danger because of his handicap caused him to reconsider. "If you think that's best sir." He said sadly.

"Just think," Kinch said. "You will be a hero when you get home."

"Ticker tape parades, all the girls you could ask for," Le Beau added. "You should be excited you are going home."

"If I have any home left," Newkirk said solemnly. "My home town was bombed three weeks ago."

Again the mood darkened.

"I'm sorry." Was all anyone could think to say.

"Kinch go send a message to London. Ask them if Newkirk's family is safe."

"Yes sir," Kinch said practically running from the room, happy to help his friend in this difficult time.

"Thanks Colonel," Newkirk said holding out his hand. Hogan took it in a firm handshake.

"You're welcome. And have a good life."

"You too, sir."

* * * * * * *

"Colonel Hogan!" Kinch yelled as he climbed up through the bunk.

"I finally received an answer from London. Newkirk's family is safe in London and get this. They thought that Newkirk was dead, so they were overjoyed to find out that he is fine."

"That's great." Hogan said with a grin.

"That's not all though. London says there are some top secret battle plans that somehow fell in to the hands of the Germans. We have to retrieve them."

"Where?"

They are being kept in Hammelbourg in the Hofbrau's safe."

"The Hofbrau?"

"Yes, apparently the Jerrys think we wont look there."

"And how does London know about this?"

"An inside agent by the name of 'Tiger'." Kinch said raising his eyebrows playfully.

"Tiger, hmmm?" Hogan said, running his chin thoughtfully.

"Yes sir," Kinch said as he walked to Hogan's quarters to give Newkirk the good news.

* * * * * * * *

"No," Newkirk said adamantly. "You can't leave me here, I can open that safe for you."

"But how do you suggest we get you there and back?" Hogan asked. "No, we will just use Carter's dynamite to open the safe."

"And you'll get bloody shot!" Newkirk shot back. The argument that ensued was only interrupted by Carter's increasingly louder voice.

"I'll make sure Newkirk gets there and back safely," he said softly. All eyes turned to Carter who nervously shuffled from one foot back to the other.

"All right, Andrew." Newkirk said with a smile. "Come one Colonel, I can at least try. All I need are my hands and ears to open the safe."

Hogan struggled with the decision for a minute, but he could not ignore the truth in Newkirk's words. With dynamite there was a good chance that they would get caught. If they could open the safe they might get out undetected. "Alright, you can go. Carter, keep him safe, ok?"

"You got it boy, er uh, yes sir."

Hogan nodded, "All right here's the plan…"

* * * * * * * *

The Hofbrau was silent and dark as the team neared it. All the doors were shut and the shutters locked. Crouching down in the bushes under the window they planned to open, the team prepared for the next stage in their plan.

"Ok, Carter, take Newkirk up to the window so he can open it. Le Beau, Kinch? You and I will stay out here and watch for guards. Newkirk, as soon as you get those plans out of the safe you get out of there." Hogan said. "Carter, you stay with Newkirk at all times, understood?"

"Yes sir," Carter answered seriously. Placing Newkirk's hand on his shoulder Carter led him to the big window. 2 minutes later they were inside. After making sure Newkirk was safely over to the safe, Carter turned his gun in the only door in the room. No one was getting past him without a fight.

* * * * * * *

Captain Ludwig Dietrich looked up at the Hofbrau clock. Midnight, only 5 more hours and he would be able to go to sleep. Only 5 more hours….. Catching himself drifting off Dietrich jerked awake. If he continued to sit here he would fall asleep. Now would be a good time to go check the safe. At least if he was moving he could stay awake.

A slight movement in the room where the safe was cause Dietrich to snap fully awake and forget how tired he was. Motioning for Hans Gudecast and Nero Wulfgard to follow him, Dietrich edged toward the door, gun ready. Whoever was in there would get a rude surprise.

The safe clicked open and Newkirk tensed, hoping no one had heard it but him. When no Germans came barreling through the door, he breathed a sigh of relief. "Carter," he whispered. "Come ere and find those bloomin' papers."

"Right." Carter mouthed as he walked over to the now open safe. After shuffling through a few sheaves of papers he found them. Quickly passing them out the window to Hogan. Carter let his tension out in a low whistle. Mission accomplished!

Carter walked back over to Newkirk and after closing the safe they headed back toward the window. Suddenly the door flew open and 3 SS men burst in, machine guns blazing. Without a thought for himself he pushed Newkirk to the floor and returned fire. By the time Hogan, Le Beau, and Kinch could get into the room it was over. Carter had wounded two of the men who lay on the floor. The third stood with his hands in the air. A groan from Newkirk brought the attention to the prone form on the floor. Le Beau dropped to his knees by the Englishman and helped him to sit up.

"Gaw, Andrew. You could have warned me. I think I…." Newkirk's voice trailed off to silence.

"What is it Mon Ami?" Le Beau asked with concern. "What's wrong?" Newkirk sat in silence for a few seconds before answering.

"Nothing Louis." He finally said with a smile. "But when Carter pushed me down to keep me from getting shot, I hit my head on the floor."

"I'm sorry Newkirk," Carter began but Newkirk cut him off.

"Because of you mate," he started out in an angry tone of voice. "I can see." He finished quietly.

Cheers erupted from everyone in the room except for the three prisoners. "Vat are you going to do with us?" Dietrich asked.

Hogan walked over to the German commander and put his arm around his shoulders.

"How about a vacation to an English P.O.W. camp for the rest of the war?" He patted the German on the arm and turned back to his men. This was a day to celebrate and praise God.

* * * * * * *

"There are rumors going around that Captain Dietrich, one of the Fuhrers most loyal officers, took some secret papers that en route to Berlin and defected to England." Klink said to the prisoners of barracks 2 as they stood in formation in front of it. "If you have any information that would lead to an arrest I am prepared to offer 2 whole slices of white bread per week and half an hour more electricity every night." Klink said with a glint in his eyes and a false smile.

"How would we know anything, Commandant?" Hogan asked. "After all there's never been a successful escape from Stalag 13.

Klink puffed out his chest and grinned. His spotless record was his pride and joy. Walking over to Hogan he dropped his voice to a whisper. "You always know things, Hogan. Things you shouldn't know but you do. Lets cut a deal, shall we? As senior P.O.W. officer you just might just get sent home if you have any valuable information." Klink wiggled his eyebrows up and down. "Well Hogan, what do you say?"

"I'm shocked Commandant!" Hogan said loudly. "Expecting me to know something a spy or an underground agent would know. I'm hurt!"

Klink pursed his lips angrily then turned and started to walk away.

"Commandant?" Hogan called after him. "What about the two men that were with Dietrich when he defected?"

Stopping, Klink turned to face the American soldier who pretended to lock his mouth and throw away the key.

"Ohhhh!"

THE END

(Finally)


End file.
